One of the brightest young stars in Italian football is no longer co-owned by Juventus.
Winger Domenico Berardi, hailed by many as the future of both the club and the Italian national team, has been sold outright for €10 million to Sassuolo, the club announced Thursday. Berardi has played there as part of a co-ownership deal between the two sides since 2012.
"Juventus have reached an agreement with Sassuolo for the termination of Domenico Berardi's co-ownership deal between the two clubs," the Bianconeri noted on their website.
"Sassuolo will now own the player's full registration rights."
Before Juventus supporters - many of whom have been hankering for Berardi's return for some time - rearrange their living rooms in anger, there could be a catch.
Juventus retained a buyback option on the 20-year-old attacker which can see them reclaim Berardi for €18 million in 2016, Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport Italia reports.
The young Italian has scored 31 goals and added 16 assists in Serie A over the past two seasons, making him one of the exciting talents in the country - and making it all the more unlikely that Juventus, a club lauded for their shrewd dealings in the transfer market, would let him walk without having some sort of contingency plan in place.